Can Costco Phonak Brio HA's be adjusted with a Hi-Pro USB & Phonak Target 4.0 software?

@rrsell said:

I’d like comments by someone with actual experience doing this (or trying to do it). Scrounging the web I get contradictory information. I live in Mexico and think I could benefit from new HA’s (my current HA’s are Phonak Claro’s about 10 years old and I have been told that some models now sold in Mexico would give about the same performance). Given price differences, on a trip to the states I might get the Costco HA’s but only if I can adjust/fine tune them myself. I have used a Hi-Pro previously but would need to buy one. I have downloaded the Phonak Target software and do not find the Brio model listed.
Thanks in advance.

New member here, first post. I have been test-driving a pair of Costco Brios, R-312T with custom XSP shell earmolds, for the past 2 months and will most likely keep them. Making telephone calls is no longer something to be avoided at all cost, the telecoil works remarkably well. Anyway, I have a Hi-Pro USB and the Target 3.3 software and have been making some tentative adjustments to the Brios. So, yes, the Brios are not locked and can be programmed with Target 3.3. I have not tried Target 4.0 which I also have, primarily because Costco also uses Target 3.3 and I want to be able to discuss the program with the Costco fitter. As I understand it, the Costco Target software is crippled so that it will only work on Costco supplied HAs.

I think you can program it as the Phonak Audeo Q 90. See this >> post18<<. It says The Q 90 is the same as Costco’s Brio minus a couple of features.

You might consider buying used Phonak Audeo Q 90s. They are one generation back from the Phonak Audeo V90 which has a new platform/chip with twice the processing power and up to 30% less battery consumption. But aside from the speed/power consumption I don’t see any different features.

Though, note there is no warranty and no service when buying used!

Hmmmmm, also noteworthy is that this Phonak Brio at Costco is one generation back from the Phonak version. I’m thinking this is not accidental and that future Costco Phonak products will be similar.

Oh, that’s surprising. That the Phonak Target fitting software recognizes the Costco variant of it’s Audeo Q90.

But after thinking about it some more it has to keep the Brio 312T as a separate model because the Brio 312T is minus a couple of features (tinnitus feature and EchoBlock).

Thanks Popnoddy. You have been a big help to the OP and to me.

@Popnoddy said:

When I connect my Brios to the Hi-Pro, the Target 3.3 software correctly identifies each aid as a Brio 312T. I can then copy, if I want, all the data stored in the HAs to the target software so I can play around with it. Any changes I make can then be written back to the HAs.

thanks for the info! what happens to the echoblock slider option? greyed out? if the option exists I would turn it on max and off and see if the aid sounds different to determine if it’s in fact disabled via hardware.

what would be super interesting is to know if the brio’s truly can not be paired with a cros unit.

@doubledown said:

thanks for the info! what happens to the echoblock slider option? greyed out? if the option exists I would turn it on max and off and see if the aid sounds different to determine if it’s in fact disabled via hardware.

what would be super interesting is to know if the brio’s truly can not be paired with a cros unit.

My bet is that echoblock is disabled via the Target fitting software.

True, they lack those features, but other models they sell do have the features you mention at a higher price. The traditional Audiology practice will sell their customers who can’t shell out the extra bucks down to a lower quality model lacking features…